How about some more details on this test...the associated gear, speakers, room treatments, etc... |
Frederik,
Can you please have a look at my question described a few posts earlier regarding my slightly disappointing experiences a few years ago with the 630 V Cast Cu foil caps (coupling caps in a preamp). The Cast caps had been playing for a couple of hundred hours and in the end only slightly outperformed the standard Jensen Cu foil (alu tube).
While this is quite in contrast to for instance Volleyguys experiences I wondered if this could have been the result of the fact that these Cast caps were actually the first produced by Duelund. I remember this fact very well from our emailconversations in the past. Maybe later generations of the Cast caps used different design/materials??? Very curious if this is really the case.
BTW: the tests were performed by a Dutch top designer. He got the caps on loan from the Dutch company De Audiofabriek while the guys of this company were very curious to hear from that specific designer how the performance of these caps was.
The system of the designer is of a quite high standard (see description above), the parameter the designer puts most interest in is "tonality".
The "weakest link" of the caps used in his system is Jensen and AudioNote PIO copperfoil caps. There's not any poly there.
Where the system revealed subtle differences after a long time between the alu tube Jensen PIO copperfoil and the Cast Duelund with the Cast Duelund being slightly better than the Jensen, the difference between the alu tube Jensen and the paper tube Jensen was more significant and immediate with the paper tube being clearly better than the alu tube.
Cheers,
Kees |
I agree, the difference between CAST and VSF is more than subtle. |
Michael,
I certainly think, that the CAST is in a league of its own. But quite a few users in this thread could probably answer that, without the question of my obvious bias... |
V-Cap CuFT update.
Yesterday a friend of mine and I had a listening session to celebrate the +125 hours on this Teflon babies.
I borrow his pre-amp +190 hours , and modified 6c33 monos +125 hour , and we started the show.
We was playing om mine modified Tannoy's HPD-385a 303 Liters with Clarity Caps + jantzen polink coil.
First thing too observe. These teflon has a dynamic level which impress me again and again. As yolleyguy has mentioned these could sound "thin" but they have improved a lot over the last weekend , so we just have to put more time into them.
We was listening too a lot of different music but i will just list a few bands/artist which was extraordinary.
Bob Marley - Survival , what a timing and what a dry bass.
Chick Corea - Five Trios CD 5 , this drummer is playing like sitting just in front of me. I can recognize and feel the thickness of his drum sticks.
Mahler symphonie no 1 - Just newbie to more advanced classical music but i was nearly dropping my coffee cup several times , under this inferno of dynamic ranges. I can hear the lowest level in the music very clear , without disturbing my concentration.
Frank Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere. On Penguin in Bondage there are some microphone feedback ringing under the intro it just sound so real. What a live recording and i had have it for 25 years -:)
Sarah MclachLan - Duet with Emmylou Harris , Angel Live when they are singing together it is hard no too be emotional moved. Christ i could kill some from the audience.
Cyndi Lauber - Memphis Blues , The Number Crossroad please check up on you microphone cyndi it's so noisy.
Eva Cassidy - Songbird , fields of gold this number was a little too high frequency leaned before now it's just amazing. What a voice , sorry for her destiny.
Cause it's on borrow amps , and my power amps 6c33 is not v-capped yet , the conclusion is yet they need more time. Even the warm in the music is starting to show up now.
One thing about V-Cap they run fine with other brands of caps , that is for sure. Could be fun to have some Duelund in my crossover , still saving up.
Will try to do one more review next weekend , then the power amps should be returned , almost crying.
Thanks michael
|
Duelund , thanks for this info. When i have finish the break-in on my V-CAP CuFT i will decide what should go into my Tannoys HPD-385A.
How big is the difference between your VSF-cu and the CAST-cu ???
/Best Michael |
Michael,
Rabu can easily get you quotes, otherwise feel free to mail me.
Best regards,
Frederik |
Need help
My CD player is not working. (Linn Karik hated it till I got the tube amp and did the caps then really good) Any advice? I did have it over to a friends months ago to compare to the OPPO. On Blu-Ray the Oppo was clearly better for sure but not on Red Book. Any advice what to get? I hear very good things about the Oppo and it would be nice to be able to play formats other than Red Book. |
"I'm very curious to your experiences with the Cufoil V-cap, especially how it performs compared to its tinfoil sister or brother"
I have never heard the tin foil VCaps. I never bought them the reviews were always mixed.
So far the VCap Cuft is fast but thin in comparsion to the Jensen Copper Paper Tube. This "thin" sound does take away from the music. I can say one does become impressed by cymbals etc. but dynamics matter. |
Micheal
I will let Duelund respond to the price questions but the fact that they are hand made is going to be a price problem. I suspect the reason they came out the Alexander line of machine wound caps.
K2
In comparing the Duelund's VSF vs. Jensen Copper Tube it is in an all Duelund/Jensen signal path. I have agreed a long time ago with Dgarretson the weakest link is the most important. So a crossover with lower level parts will not show the full difference.
If I was looking at a new amp it would be Jensen Copper Paper tube minimum, I share your enthusiasm for the Jensen caps as well. If I was a high end amp builder trying to make a $$$ I would use Jensen Copper Paper tube. If I am going all out and the whole signal is at least that good the only place left to go is Duelund VSF or CAST.
(I have not heard the full break in VCaps Cuft)
Undertow
I had stated a long time ago (like 28 pages ago) paper in oil foil caps do not mix well with Poly. In fact I could not listen to speakers with the two types in each crossover. What did work was Duelund mixed with vintage foil. Jensen also works well with Duelund.
What I meant by this was you can not through one Duelund in the chain and reveal it's full potential.
I have said as well this has been known since the '60's at least. In the vintage Marantz expensive amps they use large paper in oil caps. In the less expensive amps from the time, smaller (physical) paper in oil caps. I suspect why someone is paying $14k for some old amp!
What I would love to compare is a vintage Fisher (like mine) with Jensen caps or Duelund vs. the Marantz. I can not imagine the Marantz being as good? First off the caps are old and I do know the Jensen and Duelund are wayyyy better than the vintage caps used by Fisher.
K2
When Steen Duelund designed these caps (who worked for Jensen) he was very frank that there was no board to stop him. It was his passion for the best that was the motivator not the $$$ to be made from hand made parts. He knew that hand made was NOT the way for a business to go. If you have noticed Duelund has been sensitive to Jensen partly as they are competition and even Frederik admits a Jensen is better than any poly.
I have thanked Duelund on here many times as if it was not for Steen (and his passion) I would not know what is possible in audio.
|
Duelund
I was talking to Kasper at rabu-acoustics.dk and asked him , If i wish to buy a pair of CAST-Duelund 1.5 uF would the listed prices be the right ones. And he could not say that for sure before he have checked up with "Duelund".
But this raising prices nightmare was also in place for the inductors 2.5 mH for Jantzen so no panic at all.
Im just accepting and comparing it to the gold prices , but still the gold prices can drop , for sure.
Anyway have you heard the V-Cap CuFT caps ??? |
Hi Michael and Volleyguy,
I know Jimmy's site and I know he loves his Cast Duelunds. Especially the silverfoil ones. Well for the small capital he invested in these caps he really should love them!!
The Duelunds are his number one caps, I believe he then prefers the paper tube Jensens, a bit similar to Volleyguy I guess. In the end Jimmy preferred the paper tube Jensens over the mylar AudioNotes and the copper tube Jensens.
The system in which the Cast Duelunds, tinfoil V-caps, Jensen Alu tube and Jensen paper tube were tested consists of a heavy modified CEC transport coupled to the Audiomagic DAC (same league as the AN 5.1 Signature) and a very fine all tubed preamp and all tubed poweramps, both created by Peter, driving AN speakers (not sure about the model). Though it can't produce very high SPL's, is limitated in the low domain and is way less revealing than my modified Apogee Scintilla's, it is quite a good system (without any plastic cap in the signal path). More important for me was to have the caps tested by a guy I know that is very experienced, has very good ears and puts most interest in tonality (!) in his designs and modifications.
You're so right Volleyguy, about PIO copperfoil caps sounding good right out of the box. Both Jensens and the Cast Duelunds showed this clearly.
I was surprised that the Duelunds didn't show the big difference (even not after hundreds of hours playing) that other people, like you, experienced. But maybe it had something to do with these Cast caps belonging to the very first 630V caps produced by Duelund. I'm interested to hear Frederiks opinion on this. After a very long time the Cast Duelunds outperformed the Jensen in alu cap, but only by a small margin, whereas the paper tube Jensens outperformed the alu tube Jensens right out of the box.
I've not been able yet to listen to Duelunds (VSF nor Cast) in a passive speaker xover. However, the caps in the passive xover of the Scintilla are relatively high values: 240 uF in front of the midribbon and 10 uF in front of the tweeter ribbon. I bought Obbligato caps for my new (nowadays outboard) xover, but I might try out the Duelunds or Jensens in the end for the tweeter ribbon.
I actually would have liked it A LOT when I would have been able to skip the entire passive speaker xover and have it replaced by a linelevel xover. In theory I would be able to do this as I have three stereo poweramps and the Scintilla is a three way all ribbon magnetostatic speaker. There is very good software available that is able to copy the behaviour of the passive speaker xover exactly. The "problem" in my situation that makes me not do this is a small DC voltage on the outputs of the poweramps that is not easily taken away (without affecting the poweramps performance). So I need the caps in front of the delicate foil-only mid- and tweeter ribbons to prevent the DC voltage damages these ribbons.
The two inductors in the original passive speaker xover however are skipped and have been replaced by a linelevel solution. The bass ribbon (kapton backed alufoil) for instance will be connected to the poweramps output directly.
Have you ever thought about going all linelevel xover?
Cheers,
Kees |
Duelund's Do NOT mix well with other caps I have found, Crossover, or electrical. Its better to run them all or nothing.
I found however Clarity MR's do mix well with almost anything accept DUELUNDS following them. The Duelunds Stand alone and are hard to beat, but mixing with other caps they are not worth the price of admission unless you go 100% as another poster FACE has agreed with in the past, as well as now it seems Volleyguy is coming to this conclusion as well finally. |
Michael,
" Funny when i asked rabu-acoustics.dk they can not give me an exact price. What is the reason for that ???"
I don't know, they could certainly have got a quote from us? |
K2 Thank You!
I have stated many times in this thread that the Jensen Copper Paper Tube is very good! It is what I use as a standard reference. They seem unloved? (old news?) No one seems to care about them? People run out to buy other lesser caps?
I have tested Jensen against the VSF and like the VSF better the difference would depend on the system as to whether it is worth it? The VSF is clearly less muffled with better tonality. An excellent cap and the Jensen Copper Paper tube very good.
Another thing I have mentioned is how one cap in the chain throws things off. The first time I heard an all foil chain (all vintage) I went Holy Smokes! Real sounds! (high noise level but still REAL sounds)
Right now I have a VCap Cuft with two Duelund's in one side in the amp and all Jensen Copper Paper Tube in the other. The all Jensen sounds more dynamic than the VCap followed by two Duelund VSF's
The ENTIRE chain is Duelund except one VCap and it matters natural tones are not as good by changing out just ONE cap.
Where the Duelunds are better is in tonality, clarity then Jensens.
But they sound like the same family of caps.
I can not comment for sure on the VCaps as I am nowhere near the painful long 500 hours! One thing I love about good paper in oil caps is put them in today and things are better right away and then they improve.
That "thin" sound you talk about seems to come from the fast charge and discharge of Teflon. It is a more mechanical sound.
I have mentioned on here before that you can not have ANY poly or other types of caps to get the "full" effect of paper in oil. (some scoff at the idea) I had never heard full signal paper in oil till hearing all vintage. That is what started the thread.
So far my thoughts are Duelund in large value and Jensen in small value just for cost reasons.
I feel (and have said before) Jensen Copper Paper tube is the "lowest" (if one calls that low) I would want to see in the signal path. |
Hi Kees , thanks for a great update on the caps magic. What do you think on this review http://jimmyauw.com/2010/08/16/battle-of-three-capacitors/ . I think in his opinion the duelund CAST is a lot better than the jensen you have testet. |
You're right about the price Michael. Since receiving some rave reviews, including on this site, prices have raised to incredible heights. A pity as the Duelunds no doubt are fine caps but IMO and IME the extra quality compared to that of other fine PIO copperfoil caps (and OTHER measures than caps, inductors and wire that can be taken in an audiosystem!!!) doesn't justify the very big difference in retailprice.
I don't know the Cu V-cap, however I've tested the tinfoil V-caps a few years ago and IMO they didn't held up with the standard Jensen PIO copperfoil cap. The difference was big. The tinfoils are fast and detailed but compared to the PIO copperfoils they sound "thin" / less musical. And this judgement came after at least 500 hours of playing in time.
I collected three early cost-no-object early Siltech hybrid poweramps that I've upgraded by a Dutch engineer called Peter van Willenswaard. He used to work for AudioNote UK and now has his own company Audiomagic. Peter is a BIG name with tubes in the Netherlands/Europe. His DAC for instance is a killer. Peter built up a lot of experience with upgrading AN DACs. So much that he decided to design his own DAC. This DAC, though costing about 1/20th of the most expensive AN DAC, performs in the same league as that AN DAC. No wonder it won the first price at a shoot out of the European Triode Festival some years ago.
I have asked Peter to test the tinfoil teflon V-Caps and the Cast Cu-foil Duelunds as I wanted to replace the old coupling caps in my hybrid poweramps by better ones, and these two companies received rave reviews a couple of years ago. A befriended audiocompany in the Netherlands ordered the Cast Cu-foil Duelunds from Frederik as the company was very interested in Peters opinion on the Duelund caps. The V Caps I ordered in the USA.
Peter put them to test in his own design preamp (position of the caps: coupling caps) and audiosystem. The judgement about the V-caps was quickly made. And even after 500 hours, its sound was still not okay in our experience. This became very painfully clear after replacing the V Caps by Jensen Cu-foils: the immediate improvement of the sound with the Jensens installed was SO big!
The Jensens went out and the Cast Duelunds were connected. A long time of playing in followed. Gradually, very gradually its sound got better and better until it performed a bit better than the standard Jensen PIO Copperfoil caps. After a few hundred hours the Duelunds were taken out and returned to the audiocompany...
They made place for the Jensen PIO Cu-foils in paper tube. The paper tube Jensens sounded already from the start significantly better (more detailed) than the standard Jensen PIO Cu foils... So my choice in the end was the paper tube Jensen.
I must admit that my Cast Duelunds belonged to the first badges produced by Duelund as in my first emails to Duelund, Frederik responded that the high voltage Cast caps didn't exist yet, but that they were working on it. Maybe in the later badges other dimensions/design and materials were used?
I'm very curious to your experiences with the Cufoil V-cap, especially how it performs compaired to its tinfoil sister or brother.
Kees |
Duelund
Have your heard the V-Cap CuFT after a valid break-in time , properly 400+ hours.
We are 3 different persons here in Denmark who are doing it right now , not 400+ hours yet.
I would like to use your caps for my tannoy HPD-385a , but at the time i have saved up , your prices are properly raised again. Funny when i asked rabu-acoustics.dk they can not give me an exact price. What is the reason for that ???
|
Volleyguy,
"Teflon seems to charge and discharge with lightning speed. "
Main problem with it. |
Hi Volleyguf , just want to know where is it located the 2.5 mh on the original crossover type AA. Just to be sure i change the correct one.
Teflon takes time to break-in , yesterday listening to my friends pre-amp + monos also 6c33 , they now have 75+ hours and 130 hours on the preamp.
A lot better now , but needs more time. |
Sorry Micheal confused?
I would change the woofer inductor 2.5mh to a Duelund VSF or CAST. I would not change the tweeter inductor .0245mh.
Although Duelund is an excellent part changing the DCR (ohm resistance) is not always a good idea.
Duelund's inductor (air core) is almost the same DCR as vintage iron core. I wish I had the money for CAST inductors.
I could not believe how much less noise the woofer made after the change.
The parts that they make 200k from where you live Micheal are almost slam dunk the way to go. As long as you do not change the DCR they are VERY tough for anything to beat.
I am not saying I like the Teflon better yet either just you can hear the effects of Teflon, I just do not know what it fully means. |
Hi Volleyguy which inductor should i change , i got new 2.5 mH vax coil yesterday. Imagine this layout below as the Klipsch AA crossover.
I - for inductor , C - for Caps
Ia 2uF_C 2uF_C 13uF_C
Ib [Input from Amp] Ic
Taken from http://www.critesspeakers.com/crossover_repair_kits.html
is it Ia , Ib or Ic , hope it gives a meaning.
Best Michael |
I am unsure about being the expert but VSF's are fantastic! I have the other section of Duelund Silver Wire coming from Irish65 and will complete after lengthy break in. Irish might be the expert with having CAST Silver caps and inductors. |
Volleyguy i think you have mentioned Arthur Salvatore in one of your post i have read. I have upgraded my friend with the LaScala pre-amp with the V-CAP CuFT , and It was a huge improvement over his Mundorf s/g/o. The V-CAP CuFT is capable of playing bass with an intensity i have never heard before.
Do not know about the DueLund VSF , but you might be the expert on these caps.
I will have mine mono 6c33 SET upgraded and rebuild within 6 weeks so after a lot of break-in time i'll be ready to enjoy them later this year. |
We have had a listening session , with a pair of upgraded tube amps with V-CAP cuFT.
The pre-Amp had played for 70 hours and the MONO 6c33 blocks has been playing for 12 hours. As volleyguy has stated , these
caps are fast , and they play bass with an author never heard before. Yes they need more break-in time but compared to ANY mundorf this is like reaching another level.
I never get tired of listening it's like it just tell me. Play another record i would not disappoint you :-) |
Doumike
I was expecting the VCaps Cuft to be rough at first as well from what I have read about VCaps. They are not terrible out of the box. Teflon without a doubt is fast! I have the second speaker to be hooked with Duelund Silver wire (next week or two) and will need to get too just one part difference to really say. So far faster but maybe more stark?
Teflon seems to charge and discharge with lightning speed. |
Micheal
Not sure if you have heard of Arthur Salvatore? He has the Khorns rated Class C were Class B in a VERY tough list. The highest of all vintage speakers. He has not heard a full out set only the stock set with cheap wire and caps. I did invite him to hear mine, but better here in a few months when the room is done. I am curious were a full out set would rank? I can say it is a BIG difference from stock. (Duelund caps and wires)
I agree with you on the harshness on the top end for stock speakers. (midrange as well)
I really like the basic design of the Khorn woofer though. It is sooooooo fast. |
a few years back I replaced the 3,3 uF mundorf silver/gold in my omega duos tweeter xo with the v-caps. this is one of the best upgrades I ever did and literally transformed my speakers. chris put them on the cable cooker for 4 days before sending them to me. still it took them another few hundred hours to fully blossom. be patient and you will be rewarded!
mundorf caps are good for the money and they don't even come close to the v-caps. |
Volleyguy , yesterday i have installed V-Cap CuFT in three pre-amps so now
we are some persons who are "suffering" the breakin time.
Honest to say , they are quite good from the first second. I was listening to my
friends LaScala and after some smaller upgrades compared to yours , i think this speaker is way way underrated. He had suffered from the very high unpleasant top , caused by poor quality of caps , mainly in this tube-amps.
But we need to go through the breakin time before we can say anymore.
/Michael |
Volleyguy i have seen your pictures and enjoyed them at lot. Tomorrow i will get the cuFT they will be installed asap.
I will do it in three different stereo setup including my friends Klipsch like yours.
/Michael |
I have the VCap installed in the phono stage. Can't say anything yet except they are fast.
What I like hearing about other systems in what weakness does it reveal in your own? Well the Martin Logans have way deeper bass. With speakers cut off at 55 or so hz Lascala's do not go that deep.
The frustrating thing in audio is dealing with the trade-offs. |
Sorry I did not mean to put the pics up as another thread?
Spent another afternoon at another high end store. I try and go as often as I can. As much to hear can I just buy off the shelve gear and be better off?
The speakers were Martin Logan's and Totems? ($14k I think) The Martin Logan's are interesting but as a hybrid the woofer sounds like a sub not connected to the system, to me. The spatial sound is interesting but without hearing them I think I would prefer all panels even at some bass extension?
The Martin Logan's had a $5k Dynavector on the table all expensive cabling etc.
There is NO doubt in my mind what I would do again. I would cut to a $500 cartridge like I have and use that $4,500 on caps.
All the speakers I have heard all sound black and white. There is just no contest to how mine sound in comparison. It was there the very first time I heard it. The vintage tube amp with all foil caps through my speaker with all foil caps and my eyes were like pie plates! I owned these speakers for 28 years at the time at it was the first time I "heard" them.
I have found it tough at times to focus with all the Duelund parts you get listening to just one instrument for tones.
There is one area where things are not even close. |
Micheal I have some pics up now. |
Volleyguy if you send me the pics to my email , i can put your pictures on my blog http://hifimaniac.blogspot.com/ .
Just send them to michaelvvv@gmail.com .
/Michael |
I spent an hour+ trying to post the pics and save a system but no luck? |
Volleyguy i do not own a car ha ha ha. But i live about 210 km from DueLund.
My parts from canada is on it's way to Denmark. USA right now.
Canada buys from Denmark Dueland Stuff.
Denmark buys from Canada V-Cap Stuff.
If you have the pics out you are more than welcome to send then to my
extra email - michaelvvv@gmail.com.
Look foreward to hear your opinion about v-caps... |
Micheal
Yes I am Canadian and they are based in Canada. I think you do get a PDF then a bill with shipping once that happens. Almost all of the parts I have got oddly have come from Denmark (Duelund and Jensen) and I have almost always had to wait.
I just took the pics of one of the amps. It has all Jensen and Duelund caps and put a pic of the not yet installed VCap Cuft. I also took pics of inside the speakers but not really much to look at just a bunch of Duelund parts. Once I figure out how to post I will.
I do hear very good things about the VCaps and for sure the Cuft ones. I hear they are in VSF range. This I have got to hear as you have noticed even good parts like Mundorf have a signature, Duelund is the only one I have heard that do not?
In the one amp I thought was all original did have one Ampohm Copper foil cap in it. There is very little difference from vintage and to be honest I actually thought the vintage channel sounded better. I can not understand why living in Denmark you just don't pop over to the guys at Duelund? |
Volleyguy i have got a pdf kind of confirmation mail from partsconnextion. Is it normal that they would send i after this email. Can not see any freight rate so i'm a little concerned , that it's on hold.
I have send a mail to them but i haven't got an answer.
Just curious , are you canadian partsconnextion i based in canada or do i miss something ???
Very interested in your review. How is it going with your pictures of your setup :-)
Would like to see very much...
/Michael |
Micheal
I live less than 100k from Partsconnexion and they are already here! (quicker than normal)
I am going to try and install them right away. They are much smaller in size (but heavy) than the Jensen or Duelund. If someone does not have much space this could be helpful.
I am thinking in the (almost) untouched vintage amp. I started with vintage tube amp and SS for testing in the crossover but at some point there was no need to keep hearing the SS as it was not even close. That is how I feel now about vintage capped amp as a reference. |
FWIW, Jon L's 'Orgy of Capacitors' now has a review of the ClarityCap MRs -- new since the last time I read his thread. |
I think my statement "way way better" was that the old V-CAP TFTF , just make me enjoy music a lot more than mundorf.
I have not heard the duelund as you have , but i can live with this kind of "coolness" , but we need to check out the CuTF.
I think you will have them before they reach denmark , i placed an order for 12 hours ago , but still need the final confirmation.
I ordered them from partsconnection. |
I have to admit every time I put in a Duelund part it just gets better. So far I can not hear ANY negative or signature to their parts which both Mundorf and at least the old VCaps had. (so I hear on the VCaps)
The problem is CAST does not drop in price in small values. (I know hand made) |
Volleyguy we have had a listen session here where i live this evening. One of my friends is super critical and he was very
impressed though he thought my mundorf s/g/o in my crossover was the real reason why my sound was tilted a little to the light.
I have just order the V-cap cuTF for my pre-amp but for sure you will have them before me , but i'm convinced that they will make me very satisfied.
My Idea is to have them in my preamp plus mono blocks and then a duelund in my crossover + a clarity caps for the cost reason.
/michael |
Just ordered some VCap Copper Teflons for the phono or pre-amp stage.
If they do not work out it is only CAST or VSF left.
I have a gut feeling the VCap Coppers will work in the phono stage. Seem to agree with Tempo's opinion often, could be that we are running similiar style speakers and most people do hear the same things.
To me the phono stage is slow in my amps. The Jensen's were a LARGE improvement there and caps that I like and will keep for sure even if in a second system. Duelund is expensive in high voltage and small values. If the VCaps do not work out it will be VSF's for the rest of the system. (or CAST ouch)
I am getting very close to done though either way, without going crazy with Duelund CAST Silver. (not happening) Power supply work maybe?
It has been a very interesting journey in which I have learned lots from so many people.
One thing I could not agree with more was Dgarretson's opinion of not spending too much on one part, if there is weakness elsewhere. Like having Silver wire hooked up to an all vintage amp with tired coupling caps. Silver wire is $500++ that is enough for good quality coupling caps and wayyyy better money spent and for sure if it is a wear item. 2 Jensen's on the phono stage is 10x the difference of Silver if the phono or pre-amp caps are lousy.
This is one area where the internet is excellent. In the past none of us would be able to share opinions in a small hobby and an obscure part of it. (passive parts)
With the internet it is becoming accepted knowledge that these parts DO matter and a lot. |
Micheal does the VCap Copper have any of the coolness of the regular VCaps?
I have not heard either. I know the regular VCaps were thought be double edge sword?
That is pretty stiff competition to be "way way" better than.
I just might have to hear for myself. |
VolleyGuy The Mundorf caps in pre-amps 0.1 uF was great s/o s/g s/g/o but as i wrote the V-CAP is way way better.
I'm placing an order on the V-CAP cuTF for my pre-amp and
my mono-blocks 6c33 in this week , heard that it should be even better than the TFTF.
So within a couple of weeks the first impression would be possible.
/Michael |
Utahusker
I have stuck to PWK original designs. I have used Sonicaps (and sold) a long time ago and they were bested by a long shot (to me) by Mundorf Supreme's in dynamics.
The Duelund VSF's are in another complete league.
There is only one cap that I have not tried that I am curious over and that is the VCap Copper Teflon.
I have been listening to the all vintage amp (just Jensen power supply cap) to compare to the Duelund Silver wire and I am not sure if I will be able too. The sound is MILES off. The image is blurry, distorted and splashy. It might be to poor of an amp to make this comparison?
In my testing I bought several amps all from the same company all vintage point to point so for easy swaps. I started with my least favourite the Fisher 500c and switched out coupling caps. I knew that if I messed up the sound it was my least favourite anyway. I left all orginal (till power supply cap) my favourite the EL84 Fisher.
The 500c is MILES better with new caps. |
Before rebuilding your current crossovers, I would look into building or buying a Klappenberger crossover. His website is http://www.alkeng.com/
I upgraded my crossovers that you can change the attenuation of the mid horn to match your room, taste, equipment, etc. Very customizable! |
Hmmmm Michael.
Which Mundorf did you prefer?
I have always wanted to try some VCaps. If I remember correct in small values they were much more cost effective? (compared to Duelund)
Keep us paired on those copper Teflons. |
Hi just finish evaluating the V-CAP TFTF in my tube pre-amp. This is the
best sounding cap i have tried so far. I'm done with Mundorf. I have tried
all their caps so far but the v-cap is way way better.
I have the new cuTF on a order 0.1 uF in about a month form now. Need a little money that's why the delay. And hopefully a DUELUND cast 1.5 uF to my crossover , when they have the production up running again , but i can wait. |
